The Ontario Convention Center and Toyota Arena in Ontario, CA (just outside of Los Angeles) have announced their commitment to becoming safe environments to welcome guests back to the venues. To note, each will receive Global Biorisk Advisory Council (GBAC) STAR accreditation on outbreak prevention, response and recovery. (GBAC STAR provides third-party validation to ensure the implementation of rigorous protocols in response to biorisk situations.)
As a division of the International Sanitary Supply Association (ISSA), GBAC STAR is an industry accreditation focused on ensuring a clean, safe and healthy environment. The program establishes requirements to assist venues by providing best practices, protocols and procedures to control risks associated with infectious agents, such as SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19 (coronavirus).
The decision to pursue GBAC STAR accreditation coincides with the guidelines created by an internal committee at each venue to keep guests, employees and the community safe. The guidelines rely on the science and research on sanitation methods per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), World Health Organization (WHO), California Department of Public Health, San Bernardino County Department of Public Health and the City of Ontario Fire Department Emergency Manager.
In pursuit of the GBAC STAR accreditation, Ontario Convention Center and Toyota Arena will complete 20 program elements with specific performance and guidance criteria. The comprehensive program will enable the venues to:
- Establish and maintain a cleaning, disinfection and infectious disease prevention program to control and/or minimize risk associated with infectious agents for employees, guests, the community and the environment
- Provide assurance and establish confidence that proper cleaning, disinfection and infectious disease prevention work practices are in place and implemented
- Establish a framework for communication and raising awareness of best practices as they relate to cleaning, disinfection and infectious disease prevention
As an important element of recovery guidelines, the city of Ontario venues will continue to collaborate with credible industry resources and experts to provide employees with vital training in biorisk prevention.
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